Category: Artichoke

Warm Spinach Artichoke Dip

Filled with four kinds of cheese and plenty of tender artichoke hearts, this dip is creamy with a crisp, golden top. Be sure to drain the thawed frozen spinach well to avoid excess water, which can break the cheese sauce.
By Betsy Andrews

  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 3 ounces Gouda cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)
  • 2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 cup chopped thawed frozen spinach, drained well
  • 3/4 cup chopped thawed frozen artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 cup chopped scallions (from 3 scallions)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (from 1 garlic clove)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/4 cup)
  • Crostini or tortilla chips

Directions

    1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
    2. Stir together cream cheese, Gouda, mozzarella, spinach, artichoke hearts, scallions, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl until smooth.
    3. Spoon into a 1-quart baking dish
    4. Sprinkle top evenly with Parmesan.
    5. Bake in preheated oven until browned and bubby, about 25 minutes.
    6. Serve with crostini or tortilla chips.

Artichoke – Instant Pot

Instant Pot Whole Steamed Artichokes are a faster and easier way to cook artichokes. Pressure cooker artichokes are tender and ready to dip in your favorite sauce!

 
Ingredients
    • 1-4 Artichokes
    • Lemon Wedge
    • 1 ½ cups Water (for the 6 qt pressure cooker, 2 ½ cups for the 8 qt, 1 cup for the 3 qt)
Aromatics to Add to the Water (optional)
    • ½ Lemon, sliced
    • 2 cloves Garlic, chopped
    • 2 small Bay Leaves
    • 1 tsp Salt
    • ½ Sweet Onion, sliced
    • 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the Artichokes
    1. Remove small outer leaves that are dry, and cut the stem off, leaving about ¼”. Then use a really sharp serrated knife to cut the top inch or two off of the artichoke. This exposes the inside and will allow the steam to penetrate it.
    2. Rinse the artichokes and pat dry with a paper towel. Then rub some lemon on the cut surface to prevent browning.
Prepare the Steaming Liquid
    1. Add the water to the stainless inner liner. Then add the aromatics, optional, (garlic, bay leaves, lemon slices, salt, onion, and rosemary). 
    2. Place the trivet/rack into the pot.
Cook the Artichokes
    1. Place the artichokes into the pot, stem side up (cut side down). Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position.
    2. Press the Pressure Cook/Manual Button or dial, then the + or – button or dial to select the cook time (cook times may vary*):
      • Small artichokes – 10 minutes
      • Medium Artichokes – 15 minutes
      • Large artichokes – 25 minutes
    1. When the cooking cycle is finished, do a Quick Release of the steam/pressure by turning the steam release knob to the Venting position, or pushing the release button, if applicable (If you like softer artichokes, let the pot naturally release the pressure).
    2. You can tell when the artichoke is done when a knife slides into the bottom easily.
What to Dip Them In
    1. Lemon Mayo – Mix some mayo and lemon juice together.Plain Mayo (my favorite)
    2. Melted Butter – Melt butter in a microwave safe dish.
    3. Garlic Butter – Sauté a couple of pressed garlic cloves in butter.
Recipe Notes

*Cook times will vary based on the size of the artichokes, as well as the density of the leaves. Tightly packed, denser quantity of leaves (and a heavier artichoke) will take longer to cook.

 

Artichoke Bruschetta

  • 1/4 C Mayo or Miracle Whip
  • 1/2 C Shallot
  • 16 oz Artichoke hearts
  • 1/4 C Romano or Parmagiana or Gruyere
  • 1/4 C Montery Jack or Mozzarella
  • French bread or baguette
  • OPTIONAL:  Spinach or Tomato
  1. Mix first three ingredients and set aside
  2. Grate cheeses and set aside
  3. Cut bread into 1/4 inch slices
  4. Spread butter on top of slices and broil until just starting to brown
  5. Remove from oven and spread artichoke mixture on each
  6. Top with cheese
  7. Put back under broiler until cheese starts to brown

 

Italian Stuffed Artichoke

  1. Cut stem of two artichokes so that they sit flat in your baking dish
  2. Cut top off and trim off sharp points of leaves
  3. Spread leaves out so that stuffing can fit in between leaves
  4. Scoop out the choke
  5. Prepare stuffing
    • 1/2 C crushed butter crackers
    • 1/4 C grated Pecorino-Romano cheese
    • 1 TBL parsley
    • other spices or herbs to taste
    • zest and juice from one lemon
    • 2 cloves minced garlic
    • 1/4 C EVOO
    • salt and pepper to taste
  6. Stuff artichokes over top of your mixing bowl
  7. Put onto baking dish
  8. Drizzle with more EVOO
  9. Place in 1 inch of chicken stock
  10. Cover with foil and bake at 375º for 1 hour
  11. Remove foil and cook for 5-10 more minutes

Mini Spinach-Artichoke Biscuit Pinwheels

pinwheelsUsing your choice of Muffin Recipes create cheddar cheese biscuits by adding grated cheddar to the dough prior to mixing. You want to make sure you don’t over-mix, or your biscuits will be tough.

Another recipe I saw simply used puff pastry sprinkled with grated cheddar cheese

  1. Roll the dough out into a floured surface into a fairly square rectangle.
  2. Spread with cream cheese, cooked well-drained chopped spinach, chopped artichokes and sprinkle with Paremesan cheese.
  3. Roll into a log, then cut into medallions.
  4. Place medallions into a muffin tin and bake at 350º until browned. (About 12 minutes)

Alternately, mix everything together in a single bowl and scoop into muffin pans as a homogenous biscuit.

Photo from www.alldayidreamaboutfood.com

Steaming an Artichoke

Find an artichoke that seems heavy and compact for its size.

  1. Rinse underwater.
  2. Cut dried end of the stem off.
  3. Using serrated knife, cut entire tip of artichoke off
  4. Brush with sliced lemon to inhibit browning
  5. Using sharp kitchen scissors cut pointy thorny tips off
  6. Use your fingers to open up leaves a bit
    Soak in acidulated water while you prepare hot water
    . Thanks Martha Stuart for this fancy word
    . 1/2 gallon water with the juice of two lemons
  7. In large stock pot with a steamer basket, add 1 gallon water
  8. Place artichokes face down in steamer basket
  9. Place basket in pot
  10. Squeeze juice from two lemons over top of artichoke
  11. Sprinkle tops of artichoke with a bit of salt
  12. Place halved lemon as a cap on top of artichoke
  13. Cover and turn water on medium-high
  14. Check water level halfway through
  15. Add more BOILING water if necessary
  16. To test for doneness, push pointy knife into stem
  17. Place stem side up on towels to drain and cool
  18. Use tongs to remove core
  19. Set aside, because much of the core is edible
  20. Use spoon to scrape out choke from main artichoke

Options for dipping sauces

Grandpa’s Creamy Dipping Sauce

  • 1/4 C Miracle Whip
  • 1/4 C Sour Cream
  • 1/4 C Plain Yogurt
  • 1/4 C Ranch Dressing
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Juice and zest from two lemons

Martha Stewart’s Butter Dipping Sauce

  • Mince one sprig of tarragon
  • Add to 2 sticks butter . 1 C
  • Add one half teaspoon salt
  • Cook in very small pot at low temperature

 

Spinach / Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 PKG frozen spinach (10 OZ) thawed and drained
1 block (8 oz.) of cream cheese
8 OZ shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 CU grated Parmesean cheese
1/2 CU sour cream
1 small onion (white, yellow or red – minced)
2 TBL Balsamic vinegar,
2 TBL Olive Oil
2 TBL lemon juice,
2 TBL Worcestershire sauce
5 Garlic cloves
2 TBL Dry Mustard
1 Avocado (optional)
1 red pepper

optional
marinated artichoke hearts, mashed
salt
ground black pepper
crackers
water as needed
cornstarch as needed

Instructions

1. Put all the food ingredients in the big bowl except the chips and red bell pepper.
2. Heat in microwave on medium to medium-high heat until cheese is all melted, about 2 minutes.
3. Rinse red bells, then add to mixture
4. Stir to combine
5. Optional: Spread into a casserole and bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees, then put under broiler for about 60 seconds.

Special Steps

Serve with Tortilla chips, crusty bread, Pumpernickel, or Rye Variations One creative option – hollow out a loaf of crusty Italian bread and scoop the dip into the hollowed out crust!

 

Turning an Artichoke

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 artichokes
  • 1 very sharp paring knife

STEP BY STEP

  1. Cut top of artichoke off about halfway down the body, discarding the hard pointy leaves
  2. The proper way is to cut the stem off at the body, but the first inch of the stem is quite edible. Keep it for other uses.
  3. Rotating the remaining artichoke, trim off all remaining leaves down to the meaty body.
  4. Finish by cutting out the center choke and remaining center leaves

WHAT WE DO…

  1. I cut off the pointy tip, the use scissors to trim the points off all other leaves.
  2. Steam the entire thing for about 45-55 minutes
  3. Serve with mayonnaise dipping sauce
  4. Scrape the meat off each leaf with your teeth.
  5. When you get to the choke, cut it out and discard it
  6. Eat the stem and heart.  They are the best part.

Artichoke Dipping Sauce

artichokesThis is not a chip dip with artichokes. It is the dressing into which I dip the leaves of my steamed artichokes.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 CU Miracle Whip
  • 1/2 CU Light Sour Cream
  • 1/2 CU Plain Yogurt
  • 1/4 CU Ranch Dressing
  • Juice and zest from two lemons

STEP BY STEP

  1. Mix ingredients.  Your dip is done.
    TO COOK YOUR ARTICHOKE
  2. Bring pan of water up to boiling
  3. Trim the dried end of the stem from artichoke
  4. Use butcher knife to trim off the other end of the artichoke
  5. Use a utility scissor to trim off the pokey tips of the remaining artichoke leaves.
  6. Steam artichoke over boiling water for 45-60 minutes.
  7. Serve hot artichoke with cold dipping sauce garnished with lemon zest
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